IMPROV MODE
IMPROV MODE is a new feature on Dance Dance Revolution IGNITE, available on both the arcade & console (XBox One/Playstation 4) versions of the game. The main idea behind IMPROV MODE is to pick a song & make up your own EDIT DATA steps right there on the spot. An in-depth explanation for the arcade release is below; an in-depth explanation for the console version in below that. HOW IT WORKS ON THE ARCADE VERSION On the arcade release, you need to enter a PLAYER ID before you can do anything in IMPROV MODE. Just like inputting your name on the New Record screen or inputting a name for an EDIT DATA chart, the PLAYER ID can only be up to 8 characters long. This PLAYER ID thingy will come in handy later. After you have successfully input your PLAYER ID, you can select your song. On the song select screen, there is no difficulty selector or groove radar, but this is self-explanatory. Normally, if you hold down the green button while selecting the song, the options menu will pop up. In this feature of the game, holding the green button down will do nothing because what's the point of selecting options when you're just making up your own steps? A new feature in this mode (And game mode, for that matter.) is pressing the green button, both song select buttons, & both sifficulty select buttons at the same time will choose a random song. After you have selected your song, it's time to make up your own dance moves. It can be something as simple as a single note (ala BLUE IMPULSE (for EXTREME)'s hidden Double Challenge chart in DDR EXTREME AC.) or something as complicated as PARANOiA Revolution Challenge. It can even be the Expert chart for WILD RUSH with Freeze Arrows added! As long as you're doing something, I don't care! :) However, be careful when it comes to Freeze Arrows. If you leave your left foot on the left arrow (for example), & you don't need it until 2 beats later when you need it to hit the down arrow, it will create a freeze arrow for that duration. Once the song has finished, you will arrive at a screen that will give you the information about the stepchart you made up. The stuff it tells you about are: # of steps (Jumps count as 1 note) # of jumps # of freeze arrows (Jumps that last the same duration count as 1 freeze arrow) *Stream value *Chaos value *Freeze value *Air value *Voltage value *Estimated foot rating (Uses 1-20 scale) Once you've hit the green button on that screen, here's why I said the PLAYER ID would come in handy. You would have the option of having the steps you've just created be uploadeded to a database on every Dance Dance Revolution IGNITE arcade machine across the globe. The database is so that people can download & play other people's creations on IMPROV MODE straight from the arcade. If you agree to have it uploaded, you would have to enter a name for your steps. (Up to 8 characters long, as usual.) Once you do that, it gets sent to the database for people to download & play. If you don't agree to have it uploaded to the database, you still have to enter an up-to-8-character-long name for your edit, but it only will appear on the machine you played. HOW IT WORKS ON THE CONSOLE VERSION On the console version, IMPROV MODE is a lot less complicated. The reason for this is because there is no arcade involvement. So, you don't need a PLAYER ID. You use your Gamer Tag instead. The procedure from the song select screen to the information screen is the exact same as the arcade counterpart. The other noticeble difference is after the information screen. Once you've gone past the information screen, depending on which version you have, it will ask if you want to share your edit to XBox Live or Playstation Network. Regardless of what you choose to do, you have to name your edit. (Do I really need to say up to 8 characters again?) If yes, people around the world with this game will be able to download & play your creation.